The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1887-06-11
MR.. DAVITT INTERVIEWED.
Striking Points Of Resemblance Be-
tween the Scotch Crofters and
Irish Peasants.
THE H0SPITABLE HlGHLANDERS.
Mc. Chamberlain Has Not Shown Himself
to be Overburdened With Too
Much Heart.

Much Heart.
In an interview with q special cores
pondent of the Scottish Leader on Sat-
urday last MI. Davitt answered some
very interesting questions arising out Of
his visit to the Highlands.
On being asked by the Leader repre-
sentative how he was pleased with his
visit, Mr.. Davitt answered: "Oh, I'm
Immensely pleased with the entire
tour" he replied. "Nothing could ex-
ceed the kindness and courtesy repre-
sented in the hospitality of the High
landers."
"Does Highland scenery compare we'll
with the beauties of Ireland? ?"-''It is Of
different character We have some
thing approaching Highland scenery IN
Connemara and in Kerry, and also in
several places On the east coast Of Hi
bernian Island. In Connemara we have
in smaller area larger number of
cone-shaped mountains. But we can
not boast of the same number Of pic
turesQue valleys and straths as you
have in the Highlands. To compensate,
however, we have, l think, q larger
number OF lochs-of beautiful lochs es-
pecially-but excepting the incom-
parable Killarney, we are not able TO
come up to Loch Loraond. If, as pa
triotic lrishman, had not to stand by
ireland, should certainly give the prize
for scenic beauty TO Scotjand.'
"Do youtind the Highlanders in as sat
isfactory a condition as The scenery?"-
mo, hardly; but the erofters in CATH
ness and the neighboring mainland
counties seem to oe better fed and
clothed and housed than the farming
classes OF similar standing in Ireland"
About the Hebridean lslands?''--
''Here in Skye I notice the same misera-
bic novels with which am 50 familiar
in Connemara, The smoke coming out Of
the doorway. and with every appearance
Of poverty and degradation. The peo-
pie Of Skye, too, in other respects sresem~
ble the peasautry Of Ireland far more
than the crofters OF The mainland of
Scotland do.'
cry likely, then, the languages re-
sembie each other2-~"Y es. I can un-
derstand the Gaelic in Skye, and have
found good Gaelic scholars who under
stood ne when I spoke in native Irish.
To me it is q matter Of surprise that
such a close resemblance in pronuncia~
tion and in ldiom should remain between
Che spoken Gaelic in the Highlands and
the Gaelic of the west of Ireland, con-
sidering thao the Celtic races in the two
places must have been separated for at
least two thousand years. OF course,
that is to me an interesting and a very
agreeable circumstance, and I think
that il / remained in Skye for month
l. would be able to speak the provincial
Gaelic so as to be understood by the
crofters."
"You like the Gaelic language, Of
course?"-"Certainly. 1t has been
very interesting feature Of my meetings,
both on the East and West coasts, to
have speeches delivered by crofters in
the Gaelic tongue. Speechesin Irish are
often delivered at meetings along the
West coast of Ireland. find that among
the crofters here, as among the inhahi-
ttsnts of the islands off the Western
coast of ireland, and in other parts Of
Ireland, the same tradition that the
land formerly belonged to the people
prevails"
'.Does the language bear this out in
any way?"-You will see whether it
does when I mention that neither in
Irish nor i'll Gaelic is there any word
for landlcrdism."
"wbat do you think of Highland hos
pitality?''-''A great deal, you may be
sure. The peoples Of Ireland and the
Highlands and Islands Of Scotland are
very much alikein the mportant matter
of national hospitality. There is a nat
ural courtesy among your crofters which
reminds me forcibly OF the poor and i'm
poYerished cotters Of Clare Island. on
The W estern coast, and the way in which |
they greet strangers into their midst. =
'sThen, sir, we find that there is a
similarity between the scenery of Ire
land and Of the Scottish Highlands and
Islands. There is also close connec-
tion evidently b tween the two native
[anguages2'' g Exactly, that is how
matters, as it seems to me, stand"
sWell, is there not third similarity?
Do you think that the question to be
settled in Ireland and the question to be
settled in the Scottish Highlands are
alike?" - Practically the demand in
both cases amounts to the same thing,
the only difference being that the Irish
have been longer trodden on in demand
ing Home Rule and land reform than the
Celts in the Highlands